NHL’s Gary Bettman pleased by win-win in Southern California

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s annual spring tour of the Stanley Cup playoffs brought him to the Honda Center for Game 2 of the Kings’ second-round playoff series Monday against the Ducks. He used his visit to praise the state of hockey in Southern California.

“This is a pretty exciting time for hockey in Southern California, obviously,” Bettman said during a pregame session with reporters. “It’s fun to be here. … I never doubted Southern California would be great for hockey on all levels.”

Bettman went on to hail the youth programs supported by the Kings and the Ducks, but the Ducks’ high school hockey program, in particular. Then, without mentioning him by name, he gave a shoutout to Long Beach native Emerson Etem of the Ducks, a first-round draft pick in 2010.

However, Bettman declined to say when the league would stage another outdoor game in the Southland, as it did when the Ducks defeated the Kings in front of 54,099 at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 25. He would only say there was strong interest from all teams to play outdoors.

“There’s nothing I’m prepared to give you as breaking news,” he said.

What’s more, Bettman was thrilled by the high level of play from the Kings and the Ducks so far in the playoffs, and especially during their first playoff game Saturday. The Kings rallied to win 3-2 in overtime on a pair of goals by veteran forward Marian Gaborik.

Getzlaf honored again

Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf was named as one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award in voting by members of the NHL Players Association. Getzlaf also is a finalist for the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP and for the Mark Messier Leadership Award.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers are the other finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, which is awarded to the NHL’s “most outstanding player.” Crosby has won the award twice in his career, including last season.

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“Again, it’s a great honor for me,” Getzlaf said. “That one especially. Especially when you’re talking about your peers nominating me for that award. Anytime you can be singled out amongst your peers, I think it’s a good tip of your cap.”

Kings lineup shuffle

As expected, Jeff Schultz replaced injured Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr for Game 2. Regehr played less than four minutes before he was hurt when the Ducks’ Teemu Selanne checked him into the boards roughly midway through the first period Saturday.

Schultz, who played 67 games with the Kings’ American Hockey League team in Manchester, N.H., during the regular season, last played in the Stanley Cup playoffs while with the Washington Capitals when current Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau was there.

“I feel confident in myself being out there,” said Schultz, who was paired with Regehr’s usual partner, Slava Voynov. “We had some tough series back then against Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. I’m sure the rivalry is just as good out here against the Ducks.”